WILKES-BARRE, PA--In the battle of the Chris Ws, Chris Wasnetsky
jumped into the lead after the gun sounded and put pressure on
Chris Wadas throughout the 37th Wyoming Valley Striders Cherry
Blossom 5 Miler to pull away for a 34-second win on a 60-degree
day in Kirby Park. The 22-year-old University of Scranton runner,
Wasnetsky, and the 29-year-old Miseracordia University coach,
Wadas, were clearly the class of the field as it was four minutes
back to the next runner. Wasnetsky, who had won this race in
2009, broke the course record set by Wadas in 2006.

Twenty-two-year old Samantha Snead of Moscow (PA) had as large
a margin of victory in the womens race, winning by more
than two minutes over Deedra Porfirio of West Pittston.

Third placer John Evangelista of Blakely was the top Masters
male and with that performance took a clear lead in the Striders
triple-crown competition which includes the Winters End
Run and the upcoming Summer 10K. Snead is the womens triple-crown
leader.

Third place woman, Ann Zoranski of Swoyersville, held on for
the womens Masters championship by 27 seconds over Lynn
Dolan of West Wyoming.

The course was changed from the previous years
course because high water levels in the Susquehanna River rendered
last years course muddy. This years course on the
Kirby Park dike was a course from an earlier version of this
race as this course has changed numerous times over the years.